OfferBackedBuyer Tools
Step 1 · Thinking about buying

Where are towns like the one I love?

Enter a town you like, or the one you’re leaving, and find the places most like it: similar incomes, home prices, commute, age of homes and more. Look nearby, in other states or only where homes cost less.

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Towns most like Boca Raton, FL 33434

Boca Raton: median income $77,269, home value $412,900, $330/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Myrtle Beach, SC 29572 87%516$85,247$427,400$281 smaller
Palm Springs, CA 92264 87%2,220$77,688$560,100$388 pricier homes ($147K more)
North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582 82%523$71,723$413,800$273 newer homes
Seal Beach, CA 90740 80%2,310$85,347$484,100$453 pricier homes ($71K more) · 6 min longer commute · older homes
Palm Desert, CA 92260 77%2,212$70,091$489,500$368 pricier homes ($77K more) · more renters
Palm Desert, CA 92211 74%2,210$88,477$583,900$305 pricier homes ($171K more) · more single-family homes
Ocean City, MD 21842 71%877$79,876$447,700$437 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller · younger residents
Atlantic Beach, NC 28512 71%610$91,488$565,400$456 pricier homes ($153K more) · smaller
Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971 70%902$102,146$608,800$339 pricier homes ($196K more) · more single-family homes
Carolina Beach, NC 28428 69%546$93,241$572,700$417 pricier homes ($160K more) · smaller · younger residents
Hampton, NH 03842 68%1,259$95,422$548,500$423 pricier homes ($136K more) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Brigantine, NJ 08203 67%960$97,250$524,800$496 pricier homes ($112K more) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 66%401$97,576$797,700$489 pricier homes ($385K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Old Orchard Beach, ME 04064 65%1,305$59,887$361,700$370 cheaper homes ($51K less) · smaller · younger residents
Wildwood, NJ 08260 65%924$79,699$469,400$508 pricier homes ($57K more) · smaller · more walkable
Palm Springs, CA 92262 64%2,221$71,672$619,600$397 pricier homes ($207K more) · younger residents · more renters
Branford, CT 06405 63%1,112$105,225$401,200$286 higher income ($28K more) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Pawleys Island, SC 29585 63%492$81,946$463,400$273 pricier homes ($51K more) · more single-family homes · newer homes
Laguna Woods, CA 92637 63%2,289$59,269$394,600$415 older residents · more apartments and townhomes · older homes
Lenox, MA 01240 62%1,171$107,826$470,400$314 higher income ($31K more) · pricier homes ($58K more) · smaller
Orange Beach, AL 36561 61%525$98,295$574,500$490 pricier homes ($162K more) · smaller · younger residents
South Padre Island, TX 78597 61%1,053$68,421$527,200$373 pricier homes ($114K more) · smaller · 10 min shorter commute
Scottsdale, AZ 85250 61%1,954$95,761$583,300$362 pricier homes ($170K more) · younger residents · more walkable
Salisbury, MA 01952 60%1,253$93,361$478,700$408 pricier homes ($66K more) · smaller · younger residents
Myrtle Beach, SC 29575 60%506$71,447$305,700$235 cheaper homes ($107K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes

Similarity compares income, home value, price per sq ft, population, age, commute, education, walkability, owner share, single-family share and age of homes. Click a town to see its housing market. Set your own criteria with the town finder.

Finding towns like the one you love

Maybe you grew up somewhere you loved and want something like it closer to a new job. Maybe the town you want is out of reach and you’re looking for a cheaper version of it. Or you’re moving across the country and want to know which places will feel familiar. This tool starts from a town you know and finds the places most like it.

How we measure similarity

We compare eleven things for every ZIP code: median household income, median home value, price per square foot from recent sales, population, median age, average commute, the share of adults with a bachelor’s degree, walkability, the share of homes that are owner-occupied, the share that are single-family homes, and the median year homes were built. Income and home values count most, because they shape what a place costs and feels like day to day.

Each trait is put on the same scale, so a $50,000 difference in home value and a five-minute difference in commute can be compared fairly. The result is a similarity score: towns in the 90s are close matches on nearly everything, and scores in the 70s are similar with a few clear differences. For each match we list the biggest differences, like cheaper homes, a longer commute or more single-family homes.

Where to look

  • Anywhere shows the closest matches nationwide.
  • Same state or other states keeps the search where you need it.
  • Within a distance finds alternatives near a town you’re priced out of.
  • At least a distance away finds the same kind of place somewhere new.

Tick “only towns where homes cost less” to find more affordable versions of the place you like.

What it can’t tell you

Numbers can’t capture everything that makes a place feel like home: a walkable downtown, the schools, the views or the people. Use the matches as a short list, then visit. Click any town to see its housing market, including how competitive it is and how fast homes are selling.